after Thanksgiving dinner...

Ah, Thanksgiving. It's so great and delicious and quirky, isn't it? Every family has such unique rituals and demands, there are certain things that each of us just must have on the Thanksgiving plate. For some it's disgusting creamed onions, for others it's overrated turnips, and for many it's some other unexpected veggie like a rogue salad (which looked delicious, cousin). I was in charge of the normal veggies this Thanksgiving, which was a no-brainer. Peas and green beans. My wee family has evolved to include the quintessential peas 'n carrots combo that can only be found in the finest grocer's freezer, and the green beans speak for themselves. Except... I had a horrifying last minute thought around 10:00 on Thanksgiving morning, so as I tore into the Safeway parking lot for a couple of last minute items, I called my cousin to shriek: "You weren't expecting green bean casserole, were you?!"  Thankfully (on many levels), no one expected anything other than the pure goodness of steamed fresh beanies, and they were delicious even without the gahlic that would have made Uncle Paul holler in bostonian.

Our meal was sublime, and soon after we turned this

 

photo credit: my boy, on his phone. the kid was born to blog

into this

photo and pig credit: me

We had the chance to explore the traditions and rituals that various family members engaged in after the Thanksgiving meal was done

The floor nap

a yum dessert of pie and/or a bowl of whipped cream

And the obligatory walk around the block

Walk is a relative term

Especially among relatives

But they're nothing if not fair

not pictured: the 5 seconds just before this shot was taken, when my boy dumped them all right into the street. Look at Owen rubbing his poor bum. And look at my boy laughing.

It was a really nice Thanksgiving, and the after dinner frivolity carried on right into the next day, when we gathered once more to enjoy Turkey soup and a very special ritual that I'd been anticipating since the first time I ever heard the word a few year ago.... CRANBERITAS!

The only things Sheila measured for this recipe were the tequila and the triple sec, yet I did not ask or notice what those measurements were. Some and then some more?

Then she squeezed up some limes

And dumped in some leftover cranberry sauce

and a splash of OJ

To create this most lovely and refreshing, perfectly tart and divine leftover Thanksgiving treat!

Cheers!

The right way to BBQ

I am not a vegetarian, no, I'm not. I never have been, except for 6 weeks or so in the mid 1990s. But I'm also not a big meat eater. I prefer nuts and beans, and you, know, pizza. So for me, the below photos illustrate the correct and best way to utilize your BBQ.

First gather the necessary ingredients

Next, get some poor sap to roll out the fresh dough

Then, add plenty of tomato goodness.

Make sure to include all the other toppings before placing it ever so gingerly on the pizza stone that has been warming on your BBQ.

Cook until just the right combination of toasted crust and melty toppings...

and, viola! Meatless Monday night BBQ

30 Years Later . . .

Saturday night was my 30-year high school reunion.

Shocking, I know; you thought 40 years, right?

I went to high school with a bunch of smashing knock-outs.

We gathered for a little pre-fun love at Denise's house . . .

. . . and then we headed to a bar in the hopping SoNo district where nobody took a photo until the end of the evening because we were all so busy yakking. Then Jill and Emmett got busy with their camera and for that I am eternally grateful since Mistah and I were woefully cameraless.

Somebody had the great idea to gather for a group photo . . .

. . . and I've got to say, I especially love the lit-up hands in front . . .

It was such a love fest in that room. Everybody looked great, and had a smile on their face, and had to scream to hear over everybody *else* screaming.

With my girl Kimmie.

Gail and Ann and Doreen and Nancy.

My girls Ann and Noelle. 
(I honesty don't remember my classmates all being such shrimps.)

Jimmy with, um, some classmate guys. 
(What? 30 years is a long time!) 

Laurie and Scott and Dennis.

Jill and Greg. I'm telling you people. This is a good-looking class.

Aki and Jane.

Jane and Peggy and Jill.

With my girl Jill.

Which reminds me of one of my very favorite parts of the night. We're the Norwalk High School Bears.  As every person in the room knew. And if we forgot, well, there a bear was, right on our name tags. What we didn't always remember was someone's name. Which was also on the name tag. Under the bear. In really small letters.

Everybody in the room was 48; nobody can see really small letters anymore. Especially in a dimly-lit bar. But by God, not one of us forgot we were the Bears.

But really, my favorite part of the night? My girls.

My fabulous, fantastic, gorgeous, awesome girls.

Yeah, the boys were pretty fun too.

Weekend 3-Way: Scenes from T-Day

With my wingman, Dave the Gravy-Master.

"The only bad thing about an oven malfunction on Thanksgiving is that you have to go next door to smell the turkey roasting."

I have no turkey photo. We had no turkey. But we did make it to the beach, where I found my first ever Mission Beach sand dollar ;-)

scenes from a road trip

First, let me back up. A special message to anyone who read my last post: I did not make up those spelling gems, but I forgot to include this photo of the program:

Please revisit if you are prefer perfection.

Thank you. And now, on to a sneak peak at our Big Road Trip!

All packed up and ready to go

Go Westy, Go Westy, Go Westy, GO!

Someone's getting a serious case of stink eye. Don't make me turn this Westy around!

A great night of camping to kick things off right

And then miles and miles and days and years of this

But then, this!

This!

And most of all, this.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!